Sentimental Value
by sevanderslice
Summary: A post-reunion Rose needs to get back something she left behind. Spoilers for "Doomsday."


Originally written for the challenge one, round one, for Doctor/Rose Last Author Standing on Livejournal. Feedback is much appreciated. Thanks.

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**Sentimental Value**

Rose paced a little restlessly through the Tyler flat, trailing her fingers across the now empty surfaces throughout the lounge and feeling just a bit nostalgic. She shuddered as the startling wail of an ambulance siren penetrated the thin walls, only to fade as the vehicle turned a corner. London was in mourning, still cleaning up from the Battle of Canary Wharf and desperately trying to save the poor souls mutilated beyond repair by the cybermen. Most of her friends would assume she'd been one of them. In less than twenty-four hours Rose, and her mother with her, would be presumed dead.

All things considered, they really shouldn't be anywhere near the Powell Estates. There was another Doctor out there burning up a sun to say goodbye, and another Rose Tyler crying her heart out in an alternate Norway. Any minute now a concerned neighbor could come barging in to check on them, discover Rose to be alive, and thoroughly foul up established events. But having finally gathered up enough courage to come back here to collect a few things, Rose had been insistent. Unwilling to upset her, the Doctor had reluctantly agreed. They just had to make it quick.

Most of the items on Rose's "need-to-keep-no-matter-what" list were already packed away inside the TARDIS. She had boxes and boxes of old photographs, gymnastics trophies, and other odds and ends to go through once they were back onboard. But one item kept nagging at her, despite its reluctance to leave the flat. She couldn't leave her childhood home for the last time without it.

A rather disturbing sound emanating from the Doctor's general direction, snapped Rose out of her woolgathering. Smirking in amusement, she found him half buried inside the tiny flat's sole storage cupboard.

"Do you really need this particular bicycle?" he asked petulantly, tossing another unidentifiable object out into the room. "I know it's red and shiny and has this cute little bell on one of the handlebars…" Rose giggled at the tinny ringing as he demonstrated. "…but we can get a hoverbike from Crespallion, or an auracycle from Donoli IV that changes color with the rider's mood. Aha!" Whatever he was going to say next was muffled by a series of horrible grating noises. Rose flinched a bit in concern, only to relax a moment later as the Doctor's grinning face peered out through the doorway. "You see," he said triumphantly, wheeling his prize out into the room; "I can do anything."

Rose beamed, thinking that while that wasn't altogether true, he'd certainly managed the impossible a time or two. Crossing the few feet to reward his efforts, Rose reached up to place an affectionate kiss on his pouty lips. "My hero," she teased.

He took advantage of her proximity, pulling her warm body into an embrace and nuzzling his cool nose into the side of her neck. Pushing her lover away in mock annoyance, Rose turned to examine her bicycle. She ran her fingers through the light plastic tassels hanging from the handlebars, smiling nostalgically as she remembered that day so long ago. She'd been twelve, and miserable, and poor at Christmas. Her mum had just lost her job down at the grocers, and the idea of getting any presents under the tree had seemed like a distant dream. And then, she'd gotten a miracle. A knock on the door had resulted in a bright, shiny new bike. A glance down the hall had revealed a tall, dark haired man in a leather jacket, quickly retreating before she could stop him.

Shifting closer, the Doctor brought the whole length of his body against her back, leaning slightly into her warmth. Nuzzling her neck again, he placed a long fingered hand over the barely perceptible curve of her belly. "You know," he said against her skin, his hand rubbing little circles around the tiny bump, "it's going to be years before she can even ride the thing. Are you sure you don't want to just wait and get a better one when she's ready?"

Rose tilted her head back, looking up into love-filled eyes that while brown instead of blue, still housed the same soul. "No," she said, refusing to let go, of either the gift or the one who'd gifted it to her. "This one's special."


End file.
